Cake Decorating - Using a Piping Bag
Mason Cash disposable food piping bags are easy to use and are ideal for decorating sweet or savoury cakes, pies and pastries using icing, whipped cream, mashed potato etc. The bags can be used with or without piping nozzles.
What size piping bag do I need?
It depends on what you're making, but a 14-16 inch piping bag should cover you for all your baking needs.
How much do you fill a piping bag?
We recommend to fill a piping bag half of the way full. This gives enough space to twist the top of the bag and keep the frosting or batter from spilling out.
What is a coupler?
A coupler is a small, two-part, plastic nozzle that fits into a piping bag. This makes it easy to change icing tips. You can also use icing tips without couplers. Simply push the tip into the bag and cut off the end. The bag will hold the tip securely in place.
How to use a piping bag with a nozzle and a coupler?
1. Force the coupler base as far down into the decorating bag as it will go. Then mark where the bottom thread of the coupler will show through the bag with a pencil; remove the coupler and trim the bag at the pencil mark with a pair of scissors.
2. Reposition the coupler in the bag and push the end through the opening to expose the bottom two threads.
3. Position the decorating nozzle over the coupler and screw the ring in place to secure. To change tips, unscrew the ring, replace the tip then replace the ring.
4. To fill, cuff the open end of the bag over your hand and, with a spatula, insert the filling. Fill the bag no more than half full.
5. To close, unfold the cuff and twist the top of the bag shut. Hold and twist between your thumb and forefinger. You can eliminate any air bubbles that may have formed by squeezing the bag gently over an icing bowl until air is released.
6. Gently squeeze and twist the bag to decorate.
How to put a nozzle on a piping bag
Cut the end off the bag to the size required for your nozzle and drop in your desired nozzle securely so that it stays in place.
Once you've successfully attached the nozzle to the piping bag you can now follow the same steps set out above.
Gently squeeze and twist the bag to decorate.
How to use a piping bag without icing nozzles
If you are using a piping or icing bag without an icing nozzle, then you will first need to cut the end off the bag to the size required for piping. From here you can then follow the same steps if you had either a piping bag with a nozzle or a coupler.
